DALLAS (FWAA) – The Northwestern Wildcats
forced five turnovers and held Wisconsin scoreless over the final
three quarters to beat the No. 10 Badgers, 17-7 and take command
of the Big Ten West Division. For its first win against a top-10
opponent since 2011, the Wildcats earned the Reveal Suits
National Team of the Week honor for games of the weekend
of Nov. 21, as selected by the Football Writers Association
of America.
This is the fifth time for Northwestern (5-0) to earn the Team
of the Week honor and first since 2010. The last three honors (2009,
'10 and '20) have all come following November victories. All Division
I FBS and FCS schools are eligible to be selected. This is the 19th
season for the FWAA to award a Team of the Week.
Peyton Ramsey threw for 203 yards and a touchdown and led the
Wildcats to an opening-drive touchdown for the fourth time in five
games. Receivers Ramaud Chiaokiao-Bowman and Kyric McGowan both
set career highs with 95 and 80 receiving yards, respectively. Senior
linebacker Paddy Fisher forced a fumble that turned into Northwestern's
second touchdown and added to his school-record total (11) that
also has him as the active FBS leader.
The Wildcats, 6-1 against Wisconsin at home since 2000, didn't
allow Wisconsin into their red zone and have now held their opponent
scoreless in the second half in four of their five games. The Wildcats
were plus-four in turnovers on Saturday and now have 15 takeaways
on the season. Their plus-eight turnover margin is tied for third
in the nation.
Northwestern is 5-0 in Big Ten play for the first time since
1996 and in firm control of the Big Ten West with wins over the
three teams immediately below it. The Wildcats' No. 11 AP ranking
is also its highest since 1996. The last time Northwestern beat
a top-10 opponent was a 28-25 win over No. 9 Nebraska in 2011. The
last time the Wildcats beat a top-10 team by 10 or more points was
1959 against No. 2 Oklahoma.
Northwestern travels to Michigan State for a 2:30 p.m. ET game
Saturday in an ESPN2 broadcast.
The other National Team of the Week nominees for the weekend
of Nov. 21 are:
• Coastal Carolina (8-0): The Chanticleers
overcame a 17-9 halftime deficit and rallied to beat four-time
defending Sun Belt Conference champion App State, 34-23. CCU's
ninth consecutive win dating back to last season was its first
win over App State in seven meetings, and its 8-0 record marks
the best start in the Sun Belt's football history. CCU picked
off three passes, one by D'Jordan Strong that he returned 38
yards for a touchdown to clinch the game. Strong's outstanding
effort also included three sacks and seven tackles-for-loss.
• N.C. State (6-3): Linebacker Vi Jones
blocked Liberty's game-winning field goal attempt to end the
nation's second-longest win streak and give NCSU a 15-14 win
over the 21st-ranked Flames. The Pack's Aydan White picked off
a pass with 8:46 remaining, leading to a Zonovan Knight go-ahead
touchdown run and the 15-14 lead. Liberty drove to the Wolfpack
28-yard line on its final drive, but Jones came up with his
third block of the season and allowed NCSU to run out the clock.
The Pack had three interceptions, three sacks and a safety in
the win, its first over a ranked opponent at home since 2017.
Reveal Suits provides upscale, signature branded
merchandise to business professionals, celebrities, sports organizations,
and a host of clientele who desire to stand out among their peers.
They offer 35 measurement and suit style options, so you truly have
the freedom to build your suit just for you. For more information
about Reveal Suits, visit
revealsuits.com.
Founded in 1941, the Football Writers Association of America consists of 1,300 men and women who cover college football.
The membership includes journalists, broadcasters and publicists, as well as key
executives in all the areas that involve the game. The FWAA works to govern areas
that include game-day operations, major awards and its annual All-America team.
For more information about the FWAA and its award programs, contact Steve Richardson
at tiger@fwaa.com.
|